Tournament Rules

Tournament Day Rules and Instructions

The tournament will follow the Finnish Ice Hockey Association's current competition and junior rules (U13), supplemented with the clarifications presented here. 

The event will consist of two (2) tournaments, each with eight (8) teams.

Competition Rules

All players participating in the matches must have a valid player pass and insurance.

Player and Lineup Registration

Teams must register their lineups on the Gameresultonline service before the tournament begins. Teams can independently make necessary changes to their lineups before the tournament starts. Changes due to illness can be made after the tournament starts, but no later than 30 minutes before the game begins at the tournament office. Games will be played on a full-sized rink (5+1 vs. 5+1). Generally, each player will play in one group. Exceptions can be made only for illness cases and goalkeepers. If a team’s lineup exceeds 14 players, this must be notified to the organizers to ensure the correct number of participation medals.

Players born in 2013 or younger, or older players, may play in the team if they are part of the regular roster.

Playing Area

All tournament games will be played on a full rink. The home team will wear dark jerseys and the away team will wear light jerseys.

Penalties

In accordance with the Competition and Junior Rules of the Finnish Ice Hockey Association (SJL) and the IIHF Rulebook, the length of a minor penalty is 1 minute. For major penalties, the SJL competition rules apply.

A game misconduct penalty given to a team official will automatically result in expulsion from the tournament. A game misconduct penalty given to a player will automatically result in a one-game suspension in the tournament.

The tournament jury will review each 5-minute major penalty + game misconduct as soon as possible after the game. If necessary, the jury will hear both teams and review the incident on tape, if available. The jury has the right to expel the offending player from the tournament based on a single major penalty.

The tournament director will inform the penalized player's team manager as soon as possible whether the penalty resulted in expulsion from the tournament. If the same player receives a second 5-minute major penalty + game misconduct during the tournament, it will automatically result in the player's removal from the tournament.

Match Time

Each game consists of 2 x 15 minutes of active playing time, with a total game time of 45 minutes.

The intermission is 1 minute. Timeouts are not allowed.

Teams must be ready, fully dressed, and in the vicinity of the rink 5 minutes before the scheduled game time. If a team is not on the ice and ready to start the game as per the schedule, the game will begin with a 5-0 loss for the delayed team.

Referees

The referees will be HJT-certified referees.

Insurance and First Aid

All players participating in the tournament must have insurance to cover any possible injuries. The tournament organizers are not responsible for any injuries or thefts that may occur during the event.

There will be a first aid trained person present throughout the tournament. Teams are expected to handle minor injuries (e.g., band-aids, ice packs) using their own equipment.

Protest Procedure

Protests must be submitted orally to the referee and the opposing team immediately after the game, and in writing to the tournament office within 10 minutes of the game’s conclusion. The protest fee is 200 euros. The fee will be refunded if the protest is accepted. The jury will review the protest, consisting of the tournament management, the team leaders of the respective teams, and the referee of the match. The jury will not justify their decision, and it is final.

Goal Scorers and Statistics

Games will be recorded in real-time on Gameresultsonline.com. Paper game sheets will not be used. Therefore, the confirmed team lineup must match the players on the ice. A goal scorer can only be recorded if the player’s number and name are on the list. Any changes to the lineup must be submitted to the tournament office before the team arrives on tournament day, or, in the case of illness, at least 30 minutes before the game.

Tournament Format

All tournaments (AA and AAA) will have similar competition formats. The initial round will be divided into two groups of four (4) teams. After the round-robin, the winners of each group will play against each other in the semi-finals, with the 2nd placed teams from each group playing in another semi-final. The 3rd and 4th placed teams from each group will play placement games. All teams will play five (5) games during the tournament.

Awards

The top three teams will be awarded with trophies and medals (gold, silver, bronze). After the final game, players and team officials will gather on the ice for the award ceremony.

After each game, teams will exchange a motivational flag or puck between the teams. This must be done quickly as each game is scheduled for 45 minutes.

Points and Ranking in the Tournament

2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss. Group stage games can end in a tie.

In the knockout stage and placement games, if a match ends in a tie after regulation time, it will immediately proceed to a shootout. The shootout will follow the Finnish Ice Hockey Association’s competition rules with the following exceptions. The away team as per the schedule will start the shootout. Each team will select three (3) shooters, and the selection of shooters will be done by the team. If the result is still tied after three pairs of shooters, it will continue in a "sudden death" manner, with one shooter from each team at a time. All shooters must be different field players until all players have taken a shot. The game will end when one team scores and the other does not.

If two or more teams are tied on points in a group, the following tiebreaker rules will apply:

1. Points
2. Head-to-head points
3. Head-to-head goal difference
4. Group goal difference
5. Group goals scored
6. Head-to-head goals scored
7. Penalty minutes
8. Coin toss

Potential Changes

The tournament organizers have the right to modify the match schedule or timings if specific circumstances demand it. Any changes will be communicated promptly to the participating teams.

Respect the Game

Each player and team official participating in the tournament agrees to adhere to the Finnish Ice Hockey Association’s Respect the Game program.

Respect the Game